A/39/PV.90 General Assembly

33.  Question of Palestine (COlltiIlUId): (a) Report of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People; (b) Report of the Secretary-Genenl I. Mr. MOUNKEILA (Niger) (interpretation fr.om French): Hardly had the General Assembly fimshed its consideration of the contemptible system of apartheid, which is desperately striving to perpetuate its illegal domination of Namibia and its theory of separate development in South Africa, than it turned to another challenge: that of zionism in all its arrogance and in all its unjust, unacceptable and intolerable manifestations. 2. Like Pretoria, Tel Aviv has been defying the international community for nearly 40 years. More than 200 resolutions have been. devoted to this question, resolutions which are the product of many years of reflection, effort, dedicated and painstaking work and perseverance, but which have led to frustration and shattered hopes. That is the impres- sion we got from the Secretary-General's statement before the International Conference on the Question of Palestine, held at Geneva from 29 August to 7 September 1983, in which he said that the question ofPalestine was among the problems which had been before the United Nations virtually since the creation of the world Organization.and that we had not yet been able to resolve it. 3. This impression ofpowerlessness is given also by the report of the Secretary-General [A/39/130 ana Add. 1], in which he informs the General Assembly about his efforts within the framework of resolution 38/58 C regarding the convening of an international peace conference on the Middle East, aimed at achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting solution of the Arab-Israeli conflict, one essential element of which would be the creation in Palestine of an independent Palestinian St~te. 4. I would reassure those who have that impression: the pow;~rlessnessof the United Nations to settle the question of Palestine-and those of apartheid and Namibia-is felt by the Government and the people of Niger to be an insult to the Palestinian people,an affront to the Arab people and a challenge to the peoples of the entire world. NEWYORK 5. There is no need to lose hope. The road may be a longone,but it inevitab~y leads to the final goal: the creation in Palentine of an independent and sover- eign Palestinian ~State. Just as Namibia's victory over South Africa is ~nevitable, it is true too, as stated by the Head of State of Niger, President Seyni Kountche, that: "The march of history is such that situations which are·characterized only by a lack of prosress always yield ultimately to the might of JUstice, the force of t~'" rule of Raw, or the sword of freedom." 6. Let us hope and persevere. In a Sahelian country like Niger, those two words are full of meaning. Confronted every day with the hostile environment of the Sahel, where we manage to wrest our meagre daily bread, we have learned from history and nature to hope and to persevere, carefully to watch the horizon and beyond in the hope of glimpsing a small cloud bearing the rain of salvation~But although our eyes are riveted on the horizon, we do not ignore- quite the contrary~the scant ground water and underground sources we find at our feet. 7. Similarly, with regard to the question before us today, we shall persevere and continue to focus our gaze and our hopes on the international community, principally on certain States Members which have the power-but, even more, the international respon- sibility, as defined in the Charter of the United Nations-to put pressure on Israel to comply,With the law and with international morality so tllit the Palestinian people may find justice. But just.-as with the waters and rains ofthe Great Sahel, ourtrust and hope in the international community must jn no wise prevent \IS from looking around us and ~in, that the Palestine Liberation Organization [PLO] eXists as the sole representative of the heroic; struggling Palestinian people and that it should enjoy our full support. In this connection, my country's unequivo- cal position was stated before the General Assembly on 3 October 1984 by Mr. Ide Oumaru, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Co-operation: . "At this stage, I would assure the martyred Palestinian people and battered Lebanon, as well as all the brother Arab countries of the battlefield, of ~he unswerving and active support of the Government and people of Niger. Niger, as is well known, spares no effort to ensure the triumph of justice and right in that part of the world." [l9th meeting, para. 206.] 8. It is the responsibility primarily of the United Nations to resolve the present situation in that part ofthe world, as has been true since 1947 when it took on the mantle ofthe League ofNations in this regard. Member States have the duty in law to assist in this task by supporting the adoption and implementation ofrelevant resolutions on the question on the basis of the principle ofthe inadmissibility of the acquisition r~solution 35/169 E. General Assembly, which recognize, among other 10. In the sphere ofhumanitarian issues and human things: the inadmissibility of the occupation of rights, we cannot understand how the Israeli Govern- territories by force and thus the need for uncondi- ment, which claims to represent one ofhistory's most tional withdrawal by Israel from all the occupied long-suffering peoples, can behave in a manner as Arab territories, including Jerusalem; recognition of intolerable as that of those who, about 40 years ago, the right of the Palestinian people to return, to self- were vowing that people's extermination. The disas- determination and to the establishment of an inde- trous living conditions of the populations of Pales- pendent, sovereign State in its homeland, Palestine, tine and the other occupied territories bear eloquent under the leadership of the PLO; and the full witness to this. Thus it was that the Special Commit- participation of the PLO in any peace process. As tee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the President Seyni Kountchestated: Human Rights of the Population of the Occupied "We emphasize that any approach that would Territories pertinently concluded its 1984 report by prevent the Palestine Liberation Organization saying that: from playing its part would run the risk of being Uthe situation in the occupied territories suffers neither just nor rational and would thus constitute from continuing deterioration in the level of only a provisional solution, that is to say, of being respect for the human rights ofthe civilian popula- in no way final." tion ... and affects all sectors ... from the 15. We call upon all States parties to this question civil and political, to the economic, social and to show a spirit of understanding and the political cultural sectors. On the other hand, the hundreds will necessary for the convening of an international of thousands who are outside the occupied territo- peace conference on the Middle East, as recommend- ries are still denied the right to return while their ed in General Assell}bly resoluti~n. 38/58 C and in property is being taken over for the establishment the Geneva DeclaratIOn on Palestme adopted by the of Israeli settlements." [See A/39/591, para. 338.] International Conference on the Question of Pales- 11. A new element that is a source ofmajor concern tine, held at Geneva in 1983.2 The two principal for my country is the appearance in Israel of a form great Powers, in view of their interests in the region of violence carefuUy structured into a kind of move- and above all in view of their responsibility as ment. The French weekly, Le Nouvel Observateur, of permanent members of the Security Council, the 16 November 1984, under the title UI fear for Israel" main and only organ charged with the maintenance and with the subtitle, "How, by exalting anti-Arab of international peace and security, have an impor- terrorism, a madman exposes his country to the tant role to play in the preparation, conduct and worst kind of threat", reports the comments of the success of that conference. They must shoulder their Israeli writer Amos Kenan, author of The Road to historic responsibility in fact and in law as the Ein Harod, on the racist methods of the Kach principal architects ofthe famous resolution 273 (Ill) movement, which means "thus", whose emblem is a of 11 May 1949, which decided "that Israel is a closed fist against a yellow background, which signi- peace-loving State which accepts the obligations ties "this is what must be done with the Arabs". This contained in the Charter and is able and willing to rational structure of repression, directed by a certain carry out those obligations." member of the Knesset, has nothing to leam from 16. Thus, we appeal to the international commu- certain notorious organizations of the past. nity to deal with the consequences of this ingratitude 12. This is an abomination, an insult to the interna- and this challenge so that justice may be done to the tional conscience which demands action before it is Palestinian people. All the States Members of the too late. United Nations should help in this noble task of the 13~ Aware of this shameful, scandalous situation in eradication of the greatest act of injustice of this the settlements, we call upon the Western countries century. and friends of Israel; which are often our friends and 17. It would be ungrateful ofus not to commend all partners, to realize the danger and to take the the goveJ;'l1mental and non-governmental organiza- necessary steps. We know that they have the means tions that have worked in one way or another to to do so; that with their respect for the human person contribute to the search for peace and justice. and dedication to democracy they have ·the moral 18. We thank especially the Secretary-General for duty to do so; and that some of them, as permanent his tireless efforts to achieve a consensus ,on the members of the Security Council, have a legal convening ofan international conference on peace in responsibility for international peace,.and security. tlie Middle East. . People~ Its objectives and activities represent an was clear when it stated that one of the objectives of enliglttened dimension of the work of the Organiza- the United Nations is: "To develop friendly relations tion in its efforts to promote the implementation of among nations based on respect for the pririciple of the principles ofthe Charter ofthe United Nations at equal rights and self-determination of peoples". That a time when it is discovering the extent to which is what the Charter states. What was the destiny of 62. In the light of the anti-peace and aggressive course pursued by Israel and its allies, it is imperative to intensify collective efforts in order to resolutely counter the dangerous developments in the Middle East. In this connection, the German Democratic Republic attaches great importance to the principles and approaches for a Middle East settlement pro- posed by the Soviet Union on 29 July 1984 [see A/39/368] and fully endorses them. It reiterates from this rostnml its sympathy with and high appreciation of the courageous struggle waged by the Palestinian people. It regards the preservation of the unity and cohesion of the Palestine resistance movement and the creation of a close fighting community of all patriotic Arab forces as a condition for the victory of the just Palestinian cause. 63. In a message sent by the Chairman of the Council of State of the German Democratk' R~~pub­ lie, Erich Honecker, to the Secretary-General Of;;1 the occasion of the International Day of SolidarilY with the Palestinian People, commemorated a~l 29 No- vember 1984, the German Democratic Republic reaffirmed its principled position on the Middle East problem and the question of Palestine, as weU as its solidarity with the struggle of the Arab people of Palestine: "To the German Democratic Republic the Inter- national Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is a fitting occasion to assure the Palestin- ian people of its firm solidarity in the struggle for its legitimate rights under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization. The German Democratic Republic advocates a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Middle East conflict. This requires that the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including its right to the establishment of an independent State, be assured. Israel must without delay withdraw from all terri- tories it has occupied SInce 1967, including East Jerusalem. It is only in this way that peace, security and the independent development ofall States and peoples in the region can be ensured. "The German Democratic Republic emphatical- ly supports the demand of the overwhelming majority of States for the early convocation of an international Middle East conference with the participation of all interested sides, including the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole, legiti- th~ present sessmn; everyone will welcome It HO tbat . declslveiy, Without further delay. the l' . waited 'peace in the Middle East can be 74. Mr. GOLOB (Yugoslavia): For 37 years, genera- achic .' tions of Palestinians have been born under foreign 69. We wander what enables the Zionist entity rule and domination or have experienced the plight oojlstandy to defy ihe intem~tionalcommunity and of refugees. The Palestinian people, l!ke oth.er pe<?- its-resolutions. The a,nswer to- this~ue-stion is cl~r to pIes,. are born lobe lree but are denIed. their baSIC all: it is! the. unlimited support afforded by certain rights both as indiViduals and as a nation. parties, witlmut re~ard to its f3ilure to observe the 7S. During all those years, we have called for and will of th~~ internatlOnai com.munity snd the resolu- supported the exercise of the inalienable right of the tiQnsof tbe United Nations. Palestinianoeoole to self-determination and to estab- Mr. Lusaka (Zambia) took the Chafr. !ish-their-own 5t.ate. During all those ye~rs, the main 70. The Ne't'1I York Times of 14 October 1984 Issue ~as ~emamed !Jncha~ged: the nght to self- published an article which emphasized the feeling of ~etermmatlon,to n~t~o~al mdepe~dence,!o ~rotec- sec~lfity \~nioyed by the Zionists. It said: tlon from the acqUISItion of foreign temtones by ", i,J • • ~. • force, to return to one's own home and t~ the At a dmner here In ms honour Tuesday nIght, establishment of one's own State. For years It has Mr. ~eres told a story that revealed much about been clear that the exercise of these rights by the !sr~el s d~~ndency.. He recalled th~t ~hen form~r Palestinian people is the prerequisite for a just, Pnme MlnIs~er LeVl Eshk.ol was. MInIster ,?f Agn- lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. culture, an aide came to him saymg, 'There ssome. . f bad -news; there's a drought.' Mr. Eshkol asked, 76.. ThiS h~s become a test of the conscience 0 the 'Where? In Israel or in the United States?' When UnIt~d NatIOns that ca,?-no~ be evad~d any, longer. the aide said, 'In Israel,' Mr. Eshkol sighed with The Ideals ofself-determmatlOn, ofI}atl<?nal.mdepen- relief and said that as long as it was not in the dence, of fr~edomhave become an.InSpiratIOn and a United States, Israel could manage without trou- support for the endeavours to bnng about a new, ble. Mr. Peres then went on to say that he was glad better and more stable world. . it was rainjng in Washington because the economy 77. In the course of contemporary history there in Israel was 'dry'.'·* - have been few e~amp!es of a people's. suffering for s.o 71. The time factor has become so important that h;lDg and stl}lgglmg.With such detc:rmmatlOn for .t~elr we cannot continue to delay serious and effective nght to eXist as IS the case WIth the Palestmlan efforts to find a solution to the question of Palesti~e people.. .. .. as soon as possible. The international com~unlty 78. D.unng all th!s t~me, the IsraelI pohcy of cannot stand idly by as an observer any longer m the expansion and dommatlon has been an obstacle to face of the unchecked attempts by Is~el to liquidate th~ solution .of this issue .and ,?f the crisis .in ~he the question of Palestine by creatmg settlements, MIddle East m general. ThiS pohcy not only mfllcts confiscating land and modifying. tJIe dem~gr~phic suffering on the. Palesti~ian ~ople but pe9'e~uates structure ofPalestine and the conditions ofhfe m the the process of mistrust, mstablhty and c,?n.fl,lct m the occupied Palestinian territories; this only encourages Middle East and bey.ond. The .responslblhty, of all Israeli. terrorist organiz~tions.to try to f~rce the thos~ th~t are ~u~:"Ortl!lgthe pohcy.of expansIOn and Palestmians to leave their temtory and their home- dommatlon, either actively or pasSively, has become land, as well as the attempts to face the world with a greater with the passage of time. fait accompli. Through these actions, Israel is defying 79. There is a growing consensus that peace in the the resolutions ofthe General Assembly and Security Middle East cannot be built around the denial of the Council with complete impunity. This is why the existence of an entire people or around the denial of I~ternational Confer~nceon t~e Question or ~ales- the right of the Palestinian people to exist. !me, held at Genev~ In 1983, rIghtly emphaSized .the 80. The international community has become even Importance of th~time factor and ~he need for ~ Just more determined in its opposition to the use of force and speedy solution to the questlon of Palestme. and to the acquisition and expansion of foreign 72. The international community must reaffirm to territories by Israel. Thefaits ar,comp!is ofthat policy the Zionist entity that it categorically rejects the have never been accepted, nor have the temporary acqu.sition of territories by force and cannot allow a successes of aggression, expansion and the acquisl- people to be deprived of the right to live on its own tion of territories by force. This would not only be land. Whatever attempts Israel may make to erase contrary to the basic norms of international law, but the Palestinian presence in Palestine, they will not be also would run counter t~ the aspirati9ns of peoples crowned with success. The lessons of history show to freedom and independence. this and their meanin$ is clear. The plunderi~g of 81. The West Bank, the Gaza Strip, Jerusalem, the lands by armed aggression doe~ not confer.any rights Syrian G(:Jlan Heights and part of Lebanon remain upon the aggressor. ~e demal of the rights of a under Israeli occupation. Israel continues to establish people through repreSSIon a!1d terr~r c~nnot force ilIepl settlements on Palestinian and Arab lands and that peop'e to forget or to gIVe up Its flghts~ Peace to disregard decisions of the General Assembly and and.secunty cannot be founded on.force. JUStlC~ and the Security Council. It persistently attempts to equity are the sole means of ensunng the securIty of resolve the question ilf Palestine by terror aJ\d war. peoples. Only recently, it ol'lce<again sowed death among • Quoted in English by the speaker. Palestinianstudents and youth in the West Bank. It 1S L rp~lvp in thp. rnI'd !2A"..._ ... ...a ...A.t."...." .. ___....... .., .... ......... ........,.... MW 9...,. '-JI"" "'""•.au...."'••". 84. They are well aware that history abounds with testimony that those fighting for freedom are stron~er than those imposing domination and that nothmg ~ttr~,.tc:: thp c::nl"\nnl't at' ath.... ft4n...l.." """... th~... _ ...._-....- •••" ""'1'1''''''""'a " •••",a: Jo"ofv.,.",,, - •••v."" ..a:la.•• determination to persist in the fight for right against the policy that might is right. 85. All those who support the just cause of the Palestinian people were heartened by the recent meeting at Amman of the Palestine National Coun- cil. The Palestinian people, through their representa- tives, reaffirmed once again their unity. They have served warning once again that all attempts to eliminate the Palestinian people, and the PLO as its sole legitimate re~resentative, are bound to fail. They have shown their determination to maintain the independence of their institutions, and they have expressed again their full independence and their full confidence in the PLO and in its leadership, headed by the Chairman of its Executive Committee, Yasser Arafat. 86. It is apprqpriate to recall at this point the important and substantial work that has been done for the Palestinian cause by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, of which Yugoslavia is a member. The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Massamba Sarre, of Senegal, leads that Committee in a dedicated manner and an imaginative way, and the Committee strives consistently to increase the international community's support for the cause ofthe Palestinian people. 87. The Movement of Non-Aligned Countries con- tinues to be the firmest and broadest stronghold of the struggle for freedom and independence of all peoples and countries. From the time of the first Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries, held at Belgrade in Septem- ber 1961, more than two decades ago, the non- aligned countries have been steadfast supporters of the.struggle ofthe Palestinian people for self-determi- natIOn. 88. In their desire to render more effective support to the legitimate stru~e of the Palestinian people in accordance with the wIll ofthe non-aligned countries, they established ~he Non-Aligned Committee of Eight on Palestine, ofwhich Yugoslavia is a member. This was done in the light of an urgent need to take renewed and concrete steps within the United Na- tions aimed at resolving the issue ofPalestine and the Middle East crisis as a whole. 89. On 3 OiZtober 1984, the Committee of Eight, chaired by India, met at the ministerial level. The meetin~ called for renewed efferts to ensure the convenmg ofan international conference on peace in the Middle East, under the auspices of the United Nations. It should be recalled that such a conference was envisaged in the Geneva Declaration on Pales- convene that conference and that it is the responsibil- ity of all international factors to display stronger political will in that regard. 91. The Secretary:'Ueneral sbould be suppnrted-in his own ongoing efforts aimed at convening this conference. 92. The peoples of Yugoslavia are rendering full support to the proud Palestinian people in its strug- gle. In conformity with its own policy of indepen- dence and non-alignment, Yugoslavia has always considered that the PLO is the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and that it should participate, on an equal footing, in all efforts, deliberations and conferences on the question of Palestine _nd on the Arab-Israeli conflict. The solu- tion to that question can be based only on the unconditional withdrawal ofIsrael from all Arab and Palestinian territories occupied since June 1961, including Jerusalem, as well as on the realization of the Palestinian people's inalienable rights to indepen- dence and sovereignty, including the right to their own State and the right ofthe Palestinian refugees to return to their homes. It must be based, too, ona recognition of the right of all States and peoples in the region to secure national existence and indepen- dent social development. 93. Mr. LE KIM CHUNG (Viet Nam): The ques- tion of Palestine has been on the agenda of the General Assembly for almost four decades. Four decades is indeed a long time for the Palestinian people, who have overcome all hardships. and diffi- culties to wage a heroic struggle for national salvation and for the past, present and future ofa peaceful and diligent ~'Ople. It is Israel that has taken their land, thus forcing them to seek refuge and shelter in foreign countries. It is also Israel that has massacred them in cold blood. The killing of 254 innocent Palestinians at Deir Yassin in April 1948 was only a curtain-raiser. It was followed in July 1948 by the massacre of 580 Palestinians at DaNaymeh. This was recently exposed by Hadashot, an Israeli newspaper. Sabro and Shatila will surely not be the last. So long as an independent Palestinian State has not been established in Palestine, there will still exist the displacement of people, the annexation of territory and genocide-like massacre of Palestinians. 94. We have already had the opportunit¥ to express our views on the question of the Middle East. Superficially, that is the question of the Israeli-Arab conflict. But lying at the heart of that conflict is the Q.uesti.on ~f Palesti~e. Anyone ~amiliar with the situation In the regIOn can see It, and numerous resolutions ofthe United Nations and of the Seventh Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries, held at New Delhi in March 1983, reaffirm it. I~rael WIll use VIolence aga1D~t those .cl?untnes that people~ their right to self-deterJ!linatio!1, including gIve refuge and shelter to the PalestInIans. the right to return and to establish an mdependent 96. In recent years, Israel has stepped up the State of thc;,:ir own in Palestine. The two entwined establishment of settlements' in the areas under its questions, that is, the question of the Middle East occupation. These settlers are protected by Israeli and the question of Palestine, should be settled armed forces and they themselves are allowed to through a peaceful comprehensive solution which carry firearms and to Idll the Palestinians at will. ensures Israel's withdrawal from all the occupied Newspapers have reported recent killings of students territories, including Jerusalem, and respect for the and peaceful demonstrators &gainst Israel's policy of legitimate interests of all countries in th~ f~3bi1- settlements and its attemp:si to destroy East Jerusa- and Palestine must be one of thlo.lSe countries. Such ~ lem; a sacred site for all Muslims. We denounce and solution can be achieved only through the convening condemn in the strongest terms these criminal acts by of an international conference on the Middle East, Israel and demand that it put an immediate ~nd to its with the participation of all par..les concerned on an inhumane practices .against innocent people. equal footin~,incl~ding the PLO, the United States 97. The United States must also bear responsibility and. the S~vlet Unton. Such a co.nference has ~een for Israel's acts. We are not going to rake up old e!lvlsaged ~n the relevant reso!utlons of the thlrty- scores, from its hasty recogniti~nof Israel only hours eIghth segs~on of the G\' .;.cal A.• ;mbly and by the after the latter 9s birth or its connivance as an Seventh Conference of i-teads 'Ol State or Govern- . accomplice of Israel in the wars against the Palestin- ment of Non-Aligne4 Coun~ries, held in 1983. The ian and Arab people, to the presence of its armed proposals by the SovIet Unto.n of 29 July 1984 [see forces in the region and in adjacent areas. We simply A/39/368] serve as a good baSIS for the confer~nc.eon refer to its strategic. alliance and its devotion to the Middle. ~st, for they have settled the prll~cl~les Israel's fate. The United States has provided Israel and modahtles for th~ con~e~ence, thereby enJoymg with billions of dollars and all kinds of modem the support of public opInIon. So far, the oniy weapons. Its financial support, military aid and obstacle to the convening o~ such a confer~nce is the political protection have enabled Israel to step. up its negative attitude and reactIon of the UnIted States wars of aggression and annexation, to speed up its and Israel~ and we must condemn them for that. ~ttlements i~ occupie~ areas and to be ~ore a~es- 100. The delegation of Viet Nam once again com- slve an.d obstma~~ ID ItS.defiance of ~ntted NatIOns mends the Secretary-General for his tireless efforts to reS9lutlOns and mternatlOnal law. In. ItS r~le as the bring about the convening ofan.international confer- reg~onal gendarme, Israel has rendered servIce to the ence on the Middle East. Special credit should also be UnIted States global strategy. given to the Committee on the Exercise of the 98. Yet the United States and its most important Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People for its ally in the Middle East have never achieved their efforts to mobilize world public opinion and solidari- goals. Their attempt to sow division among Arab ty with and material support for the just cause of the countries has failed. The Palestinian resistance forces Palestinian 1X'=0ple, and for its exhaustive report and cannot be annihilated as they expected. The Palestin- up-ta-date information on the situation concerning ian people, under the leadership of the PLO~ their the plight ofthese people. We fully support the strict sole authrutic and legitimate representative, have implementation of the relevant resolutions of the enjoyed the firm and concrete support and assistance General Assembly' and the Movement of Non- of the Arab and international communities in their Aligned Countries, which, amon~ other things, call intensified struggle against the Israeli aggressors. The for the total boycotting and isolatIon of Israel and an Palestinian fighters are admired and respected for end to any form of relations with Israel. WeJ5upport their .'endurance and heroism in the,ir resistance the Gt~levaDeclaration ~:m Palestine and Programme against Israel's forces in Beirut, in Tripoli,. in the ofA\:,tion for the Achievement of Palestinian Rights, rell~vant international conventions. like to add our voic~ to the voices of those delega- 105. Another year has elapsed, only to remind us tio~s that have urged the other ~arties ~nc~med that the question of Palestine has been and still whIch have not yet expressed theIr readmess to remains unquestionably the most striking and costly participate in the peace-making process, as outlined c. '1 f h U' d N' . ... in the Geneva Declaration on Palestine and resolu- lal ure 0 t e ntte atlons SlDce Its lDceptlOn. tion 38/58 C, to reconsider their respective"positions 106. My delegation, in speaking this year, too, does and give new and tavourable thought to the holding not simply wish to reiterate the firm support of the of the international peace conference on .the Middle Turkish nation and Government for the legitimate Ea aspirations of the Palestinian Arab people, who for st. decades have been looking to the United Nations for 112. The core of this problem is the question of the elimination of the unwarranted barriers prevent- Palestine, which, particularly during the last 17 years, ing them from exercising their inalienable rights, has been rendered ev~n more acute and complex, including their right to self-determination and to both politically and socially. es~ablish their own independent State. We wish to 113. The Turkish Government is of the opinion underline once again that more than enough time has that any flexible attitude by one of the parties been consumed and sufficient suffering has been directly involved must be reciprocated by the other endured in the Middle East, particularly by the parties concerned, including, of course, the .PLO, Palestinian Arab people, for the parties directly or which is the legitimate representative ofthe Palestin- closely involved in this dispute to think about ian people. The beginning of such a trend not only respecting each other's existence and legitimate would be conducive to putting an end to the ordeal of rights-an unavoidable prerequisite in order to the Palestinian people and pave the way for a achieve a realistic, comprehensive and viable peace comprehensive Middle East peace, but also would be in this important region of the world. an achievement with which the United Nations could 107. The Turkish people and Government,· which crown its 40 years of existence. admire the determination of the Palestinian Arab 114. We would like to add that other initiatives people to maintain their national rigkts and identity susceptible to bringing a just and honourable peace to agamst all odds, are convinced th3t there is no the Middle East would also enjoy Turkey's firm sensible alternative for the people and Governments support and encouragement, prov~ded that they of the Middle East. To choose confrontation to the encompassed the basic principles enunciated repeat· end and to further bear the manifold political, edly in the United Nations resolutions pertaining to material and moral burden inevitably resultmg fLom the question of Palestine. We should like to recall in the on~oing st&te of affairs would not benefit any this regard the Arab peace plan adopted at Fez on 9 party, Including Israel, in the long run. As a neigh- September 1982 by the Twelfth Arab Summit Con- deten~ll.natIon to ~truggle.to recover them fully. The nOllS populatIOn by obsolete hIstoncal arguments. oppOSItIon ofthe mternatIonal community to Israel's We stll1 hear them speak of the need to set up a a~essive policy, which is based on brute force 8!eater Israel and the third kingdom of David, as if dIsplacement. of populations and denial of the most tIme had. stol?p..:d. 4,~OO year~ ag~. While ~srael puts el~ment~ry nghts to the peoples who have lived in f~rward ItS hIstonc rIghts to JustIfy what It calls the thIs.!egIOn for thousand::; of years, is a si$Il of a ngh~ of Jews to return to Palestine, it arrogantly pOsI.tIve chapge that has ta~en place in the attItude of dentes those same rights to the Palestinians who were the m~ernatlOnalcommumty towards the question of driven from their land and their homes only a few PalestIne. years ago. 117. The question of Palestine, which is ihe very 122. In order to entrench this tragic situation Israel ~ea~ of the Middle East tragedy, is a matter of persists in its policy of threats and terror ~nd is JustIce and of the denial of justice and right" it ·is a st,?ckpiling destructive weapons in the region of the problem ~fa t'eople ~hich has been eX}lelled from its MI~dle East! thus ~hreatening the security of the la~ds, d~ven mto exIle by brute force, and even in its re~on and mternatIonal .peace and secunty. This exIle sub)~cted to attempts to annihilate it physically pottcy. could ~so cause a fifth war, the consequences and pohtIcally. The massacres of Palestimans at of WhICh would not be confined to the Middle East. Sabra and Shatila, in Lebanon, are striking proof of 123. We ~an d~al with ~his dangerous situation only this. F,?r a~out. 40 y~ars this p~ople has known trial on the baSIS of mternatIonal law, equity and justice after tnal; It stdl waIts for the mternational commu- ~nd by.restoring ~he rights of the Palestmian people, nity t.o .assist it in correcting the errors of the past m accordance WIth the many relevant resolutions perm..ttmgth~ .recove~ of its usurped rights and adopted by the United Nations over .the years. creatmg c~ndltlOns WhICb would make possible a 124 Th I retu~ to ItS homeland and the establishment of its . e nternational Conference on the Question own Independent State. of Palestine, held last year at Geneva under the 118. We are gratified to note that the ~Aneral ausJ?ices df t~e Committee on the Exercise of the A bl V" InalIenable RIghtS of the Palestinian People gave a . ss~m y has once again embarked upon the path of further opportunity for the international co~munity jUstIce. and law. In 1914 it adopted its historic to call anew for the speedy implementation of the r~solutlOn 3236 (~~n:), in which it reaffirmed the releyant reso!utions adopted by various intern~tional nght of the PalestInian people to self-determination bodIes. In thIS context, we would request the United a!1d its undeniable right to independen~e t~ sover~ ~ations, whose responsibjlity it is to protect interna- eIgnty and to form its own independent State in'its tlOnal law, and all Stales,that are concerned for peace